Cable clamp for well-drilling rigs



' Sept. 11; 1923. 1,4616% O.C.ZUCK

CAB LE CLAMP FOR WELL DRILLING RIGS Filed'Dec. 14. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 11, 1923. I mamm;

O. C. ZUCK v CABLE CLAMP FOR WELL DRILLING RIGS Filed Dec. 14, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 11, 1923.

HE ifi'i'TES ORAL C. ZUCK, 0F OKMULGEE, OKLAHOMA.

CABLE CLAMP FOR WELL-DRILLING RIG-S.

Application filed December 14, 1922.

T 0 all 10 hom it may concern Be it known that I, ORAL C. ZUCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Okmulgee, in the county of Okmulgee and State of Oklahoma, have invented a new and useful Cable Clamp for VVell-Drilling Rigs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rope clamps of the type which are used in drilling oil wells and the like, where a rope is employed for supporting a string of tools, the rope being lengthened from time to time as the drilling proceeds, by allowing a portion of the same to slip through the clamp and then reclamping the rope.

The object of the invention is to provide a clamp of this character constructed so as to have maximum clamping force with the exertion of minimum strain on the parts of the clamp.

Another object is to provide a clamp of this character having reversible rope clamping liners so that when the gripping faces of the liners become worn, they may be shifted and new clamping surfaces presented, and which are adaptable also for use with cables of different sizes.

I Another object is to provide means whereby a strong clamping effect may be obtained.

by the provision of the novel type of closure for the clamping jaws.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings z- Fig. 1 represents a top plan view of a clamp constructed in accordance with this invention with the jaws shown in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation with the jaws shown in open position. I

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken through the clamp in closed position.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the jaws or liner holders and its cooperating Serial No. 606,992.

supporting arm with these parts arranged in juxtaposition ready for assembling.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View showing a modified form of liner or cable engaging member, and

Fig. 7 is a detail of one arm.

In the embodiment illustrated,- the clamp constituting this invention comprises a body member 1 which is substantially C-shaped in cross section and has projecting from the upper corners thereof, hook-like ears 2 and 3 which are designed for receiving the usual links 4 for suspending the clamp from the temper screw swivel bar of Well drilling apparatus in a manner familiar in the art.

Bearings 5 and 6 are arranged at the up per and lower ends respectively of the body member 1 at opposite sides thereof to receive pintles 7 which pivotally connect the clamping arms 8 and 9 which are limited in their opening movement by the engagement of the outer faces thereof with the side edges of the body member 1 as is shown clearly in Fig. 4.

The arm 8 has its free end bifurcated as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to receive a cooperating latch member presently to be described, the furcations beingprovided on their outer faces with alined grooves 10 to interlockingly engage with knife edges 11 on lateral extensions 11 on the latch member 11 carried by arm 9.

The arm 9 has a longitudinally extending opening 12 for the passage therethrough of an eye bolt 13 which is also connected with the latch member 11.

The eye bolt 13 and the latch member 11 are both pivotally mounted on a pintle 14: which extends through laterally spaced apertured cars 15 projecting longitudinally from one end of a bar 16 which is pivotally connected at its other end to the inner face of the arm 9, said bar being preferably bufurcated at this end and straddling an apertured lug 17 which projects inwardl from the face of arm 9 and through which and thefurcations of said bar, a pintle 18 extends and is secured by suitable means.

On the threaded extremity of the eye bolt 13 which projects through the slot 12 in arm 9 is a nut 20 having diverging handles 21 for operating the nut for a purpose presently to be described. I i

A washer 22 is preferably mounted on the bolt 13 between the nut 20 and the outer face of arm 9 as is shown clearly in Fig. 1 to receive the pressure of the nut. This bolt 13 and thenut'20 operate as a tension screw as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The inner face of arm 9 near its pivoted end is recessed as show-n at 23 to form aseat for a clamping or liner carrying jaw 25 presently to be described. 1

The'inner face of thearm 8 is similarly recessed as shown at 23" to form a seat for hewoner ti s ja 30.

These jaws 25 and are pivotally mounted in the body member 1 adjacent the arms 8 and [9 thepintles 26 and 31 of which extend longitudinally through bearings in the jaws and enter bearings at the upper and lower. ends. of the body as is shown clearly in Fig. 3. These'jaws 25 and 30 are provided'on their outer faces with bosses as 27 which are shaped to fit in the seats 23 and 23 of the arms Sand 9 when the parts are assem d- T'he jaws 25 and 3,0 are provided on their opposed faces with longitudinally extending seats 28, and32 respectively, which designed to receive cooperating liners or cable clamping members 40 and 41.

These members 4 0 and 4:1 are exactly alike grooved longitudinally to form cable faces, the groove of one member being designed to register with tha of the other encircling the cable to be ampe The jaw. 25 tapers in thickness toward its outer edge and is provided intermediate itsends with a notch 29 which when. the parts; are assembled and the aws closed, interlockingly engages with the lug 17 car ried by the" arm 9 as is shown clearly in Fig. 1. This jaw 25 is provided at its inner edge with a latterly extending beveled tongue 29' which is designed to underlie the rear or inner edge of jaw 30. The jaw 30 is pro vided on its inner edge with a similar tongue 33 which extends under the inner edge of the jaw 25, thereby interlockingly connecting these jaws so that they will open and close simultaneously,

A oiled spring 34 is mounted in a socket 35 in, the body member 1 and extends under the meeti ng edges of the two. jaws 25 and 30 and: exerts its tension to open said jaws into theposition shown in Fig. 3.

The liners 4:0 and 11 are mounted in the seats 28 and; 32 ot the jaws 25 and 30 and are held in position therein by screws 36 to avoid all possibility of the liners slipso thatfourgripping surfaces, are provided for each liner, the liner being reversible to bring the desired face into operation.

In operation of the device, the parts are thrown open into the position shown in Fig. 3 and the proper size of removable liners having been inserted the rope is placed between the liners in the registering grooves thereof. The arms 8 and 9 carrying the jaws 25- and 30 are drawn toward each other until the swinging latch 11 can be inserted between the furcations of arm 8 with the extensions 11 engaged with the notches 11.0 in said arm. After this adjustment, additional-tension may be applied to the swinging-or clamping bolt 13 by the adjustment of the nut 20on the bolt 13 which serves to swing the free end of the bar 16 toward the arm 9 and thus by reason of the leverage aliorded. draw the jaws together with a force which impossible merely by the connecting of the pivotal latch 11 with the arm. In this a. compressive force may be applied through the arms and the a-ws 25 and 30 carried thereby and through the liners 40 and l1 to the rope or cable which provide against any possibility of slipping or loosening of the clampon the cable.

When pressure is relieved on the jaws by unscrewing of the nut 20 and disconnection ofthe latch 11 the spring 35 will exert its tension to force the jaws 25 and 30 open, thus releasing the liners 40 and 41 from the cable.

When it is desired to let out more rope or cable without removing the clamp. it is imply necessary to slightly loosen the pressure of the jaws by unscrewing the nut 20 more or less, and the spring 35 will operate to open. the jaws sufficiently to permit the rope to slip through the clamp and when sufficient rope has been payed out, the clamp is again tightened on the cable by screwing up the n t 20.

I claim j 1. A rope clamp having pivotally mounted jaws provided with operating arms, a swinging bolt carried by one arm for engagement with a slot in said arm at a point spaced outwardly from its pivotal connection with said bolt, a latch having means for locking engagement with the other arm, said last mentioned arm and said latch, one having a notch and the other a knife edge for interengagement to interlockingly connect said members.

2. A rope clamp having pivotally mounted jaws provided with operating arms, a swinging bolt carried by one arm for engagement witha slot in said arm at a point spaced outwardly from its pivotal connection with said bolt, a latch for engagement with the other arm, said last mentioned'arm being bifurcated at its free end to receive said latch,

said latch having lateral extensions to overlie the outer face of said arm when the latch is entered between the furcations of said arm, said arm having grooves to receive said extensions and lock said latch engaged with said arm.

3. In a rope clamp, a body substantially C-shaped in cross section, arms pivotally mounted in the concave portion of said body adjacent the side edges thereof, jaws pivotally mounted in said body at points spaced inwardly from the pivotal connection of the arms and connected with said arms, a spring mounted to normally force the jaws and the arms which overlie said jaws into open position, and latch mechanism for connecting said arms.

4:. In a rope clamp, a body having a recess on its inner face, arms pivotallymounted at opposite sides of said recess, jaws pivotally mounted in said recess and provided at their inner edges with interengaging means, one of said jaws being engaged with one of said arms, whereby the opening of the jaws will operate to open the arms, a spring mounted in said body engaging said jaws to normally open them, a clamping mechanism carried by said arms whereby they and the jaws con nected therewith are forced into clamping engagement with the article to be gripped.

5. In a rope clamp, a body member, arms pivotally mounted on said body in spaced relation, clamping jaws carried by said body between said arms, a bar pivotally mounted at one end of the inner face of one arm near its pivotal connection, a bolt pivotally mounted on the outer end of said bar and adapted to extend through a slot in the arm which carries said bar, a latch also pivotally mounted on said bar and adapted to engage the other arm, said latch and arm having interengaging means, and a nut on said bolt to exert further tension on the jaws.

6. In a rope clamp, a body member substantially C-shaped in cross section, arms pivotally mounted at opposite sides of said member on the concaved face thereof, jaws pivotally mounted in the said concaved face between said arms, each jaw having a liner receiving seat, said jaws having laterally extending tongues adjacent their pivotal connection, the tongue of one jaw designed to underlie the pivoted portion of the other, so that the jaws will move in unison, a spring for normally opening said jaws and means for clampingly connecting the outer ends of said arms whereby the jaws are brought into locking position on the cable to be gripped.

7. A clamp of the class described comprising a body, arms pivotally mounted thereon in laterally spaced relation, jaws mounted in said body between said arms, and having liner receiving seats in their opposed faces, said arms and jaws having cooperating means whereby the movement of said arms toward each other will close the jaws, and means to lock said arms in closed position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ORAL C. ZUCK.

WVitnesses C. E. B. CUTLER, CHAS. W. SWAN. 

